Somewhere beyond time and space she sits and watches as the game unfolds. Each participant involved in the contest was represented by a game piece that rested on the stylish marble playing surface. The contest was now nearing its final stages. The pieces were now in place; most of the moves had been completed. All she can do now is watch the final results.

The piece that had been Borealis was now a living eclipse. Since bonding with the Emerald Eye of Azog, the light manipulator had been transformed into a living gateway, releasing creatures long imprisoned into Earth AC532D's dimension. (Editor's Note: As seen in Troubleshooters #12)

The dimensional ship used by the Crimson Claw to transport himself into Earth AC532D also shielded his presence, and that of the Emerald Eye itself. But with the forming of the gate, the presence of the dark artifact on Earth had been revealed. The effect was like dropping a boulder into a pond. Great waves of magic and malevolence were sent rippling across the planet. Those in tune with such things felt the dark effects almost immediately.

In the tiny kingdom of Bhutan, nestled in the Himalayas, the Revered Elder sensed the powerful disruption with great concern. The Arch-Mage of Earth's Dimension was no longer the man he once was. The physical demands on his person from spending the last century as the Arch-Mage were taking their toll. Instead his disciple, Vincent Dimitrios, was dispatched to investigate.

The strange Crystal pulsated with light as it felt the disturbance in the fabric of magic. Its bearer turned to face the source of the wave, more by reflex than intent. "This complicates things," the artifact thought to itself. It decided to take a 'wait and see' attitude. The event may or may not interfere with its mission.

Underneath New York City, the being known as the Master was startled by the sudden inrush of power. So much so, that his true form was momentarily revealed. Within seconds, the spells that concealed his true visage were up and running once more. Sensing that several of his former students were on the scene, the Master turned back to his contemplation's, confident that his charges would adequately deal with the situation.

In the sprawling Scottish Highlands, a young boy by the name of Angus Burke looked up from his task, turning towards the west. He shook his head and muttered, "Foolish mortals", and solemnly went back to work. Inside he knew that if the situation were to get out of hand, Angus Burke would be forced to deal with the problem. A demonic invasion would be most annoying.

She had played this particular game many times before on many different Earths, with a wide degree of results. As always, she could only manipulate the game. Move her pawns, both willing and unwitting, and hope for the best. Making her last move, she reached onto the playing board and touched a piece in gold and red. Endgame was at hand.

#4 - "Endgame"

The situation changed when Ankylosaur made contact with the reserve team and convinced them to believe his tale about what the GSVC was really all about. (Editor's Note: See Troubleshooters #11 for details.)

Shortly after the reserves arrived on the scene, a hologram of the Crimson Claw appeared, taunting the heroes with the defeat of the raiding parties. No one could be certain, since contact with that group of heroes was lost once they entered the strange dome. Saying that he already had enough superbeings to open the gate, the Claw's dome teleported away once more. (Editor's Note: As shown last issue, X-Factor #3)

The fighting then came to a halt as the story of the Claw's deception filtered among the villains. Some reacted violently to being used in such a manipulative manner.

"Honor demands that I defeat the Crimson Claw!", Firewing stated dramatically, jets of flames punctuating his words. "Let no one come between my target and I!"

"Fat chance, ya flamin'-freak!", Ripper roared in response. "I'll rip the demonic twerp apart for messin' with me!"

Firewing met the taller Ripper face to face, more or less. "Do not make the mistake of crossing me, hideous one. Or I shall make you even more repulsive than you are now," he threatened.

"I eat pretty boys like you for breakfast!"

Battle between the two finalists seemed but an instant away until Nebula and Dreadnought intervened. "Hey, settle down, boys!", Nebula yelled as she struggled to hold back Firewing. "Save it for our mutual foe!"

"'Sides, Ripper here makes me look practically luvable!", Dreadnought added, trying to break the tension.

"Nebula's right," Quasar added, stepping between the two villains. "If the Crimson Claw is not stopped, then the earth shall be overrun by his demonic hordes. Your arguments on who gets the battle with the Claw would then be meaningless."

"Have a care, my former slave," Firewing said in response to Quasar. "I do not need the likes of you to remind me of the situation."

"Besides," Nebula offered, "you can always fight each other after we take down the Claw and his goons."

Ripper seemed to pause and consider. "Starface does have a point. First I rip apart that Claw, then I rip you!"

Firewing pulled himself free from Nebula's grasp and walked off. "Another time then, monster. Then there shall be a reckoning."

"Oh yeah," Ripper said in eager anticipation.

"Now that that's out of the way, what do we do next?" The query came from Spectrum as he approached.

"We must find the new location of the dome," Blade offered, "and join our comrades in carrying the battle to the Claw."

"Easier said than done," Morning Star added.

"Perhaps, but I--"

Blade's thought was unfinished, as several gasps of surprise and pain came from the assembled superbeings. The Enchantress stumbled forward and fell to her knees. "He has actually done it! The Claw has opened the gateway!"

Morning Star and Blade helped the Avenger to her feet. "How, 'Tress?", Morning Star asked. "How can you tell?"

"I can feel the incredible surge of magic and evil from the event." The Enchantress' stood on her own once more, the momentary weakness having passed. "The pulse was so powerful that it nearly overwhelmed me."

"I feel something...", Nebula added, scanning the horizon as if searching for something off in the distance. "But I'm not sure what. Can't put my finger on it."

"I felt it too," Solitaire added, as she stepped forward. "So powerful and malignant. Most unpleasant. Widget doesn't like it at all."

"Agreed, comrade," Warlock of the Guardians added. While not as sensitive as the Enchantress or Solitaire, the mage could still sense something of this magnitude.

"Can you track down the source of whatever it is that you are experiencing?"

"I shall try," the Enchantress said in response to Quasar's question.

While the Enchantress cast her spell, several others came forward. Shockwave helped the Empress towards Spectrum and Morning Star. "Spectrum! Morning Star! Something's wrong with the Empress!"

"Empress?" Spectrum took the Empress's other hand for support. The young woman seemed to be in a daze.

"Are you all right?" Morning Star asked with concern.

The Empress tried to shake off the effects of whatever had happened to her. "Wow... Something hit me like a ton of bricks. I have no clue what it was."

"Your crown is magical in nature," the Enchantress explained. "It has bestowed upon you a sense for things magical. Right now it is a raw talent. But one that could someday be honed with proper training."

"Is that why I felt it too?" The criminal known as the Earthmaster staggered forward. "Because of the Earth Crown?"

"Yes. Earthmaster, you are being used by the demonic entity known as Krim. You possess one of three such artifacts that he created. You must allow it to be destroyed."

"You lie, witch!", Earthmaster shouted angrily in response to the Enchantress' surprising statement. "You're just jealous of the power I possess. That I have been chosen as the mystical protector of the Earth herself!"

Sensing another possible fight brewing, Quasar interposed himself between the two. "Look, all this shouting isn't solving anything. We still need to locate where the Claw's lair has moved. All other squabbles can be settled at a later time."

Nebula stepped forward with a suggestion. "I may be able to home in on the sensation I am feeling. I am extremely sensitive to the world around me..."

Suddenly, Quantum flew in over the heroes and hovered overhead. The heroine had changed. Her beauty was now unsurpassed. She actually glowed with an inner light. "Follow me if you want to find the Claw!" Not waiting for an answer, Quantum streaked off into the night sky.

"Finally, some good news," Morning Star stated, pointing at the fast moving heroine. "Quantum's operating at full power!"

"You heard the lady!", Spectrum shouted. "Let's move out!"

Quantum streaked across the night sky, illuminating all around her like a miniature sun. Only one other time had she ever felt this much power before, and that was right after the accident that had changed normal Wendy Lee into Quantum. At this power level, Quantum's senses were far beyond any normal human's. She could pinpoint the new location of the Claw's lair by simply concentrating upon it.

Behind Quantum, the others struggled to keep pace as best they could. Transporting the non-flyers had slowed some of the heroes down. Others, like Firewing, didn't bother to carry anyone else, while most of the villains decided not to follow at all.

After a few minutes, the blue dome came into view. It was nestled in yet another valley, partially obscured underneath a large outcropping of rocks.

Reaching her destination, Quantum paused briefly, allowing the others to catch up. Using her enhanced senses, the heroine peered into the dome, observing what she could.

Finally, the others caught up to her. "This is definitely the source of what I felt," the Enchantress reported. The Avengers sorceress had used her magic to give the power of flight to Dreadnought, Brute, Morning Star, Bryn, Shockwave, and Satara. In turn, they carried many other heroes with them.

"Yeah, that place is giving me the willies," the Empress added sarcastically. Deep down inside, she was unsure of what to make of all this. The revelations she had just learned about her crown in the last few minutes were rather unsettling to the young heroine. That it was magical and probably not of human manufacture gave her more than enough reason to be concerned. The Enchantress had mentioned that Earthmaster's Crown was of demonic manufacture. Could her own headpiece have a similar origin? Just what was the Empress getting herself into anyway?

"Let us take the battle to the Claw!", Firewing arrogantly cried out. The alien gladiator rose into the air and streaked towards the dome. As he approached, Firewing unleashed his most powerful burst of fire. And it had virtually no effect on the dome. "By the Great Arena--!!'

Helios floated nearby, grinning. "I tried that before, flame-brain, and didn't do a thing to it."

"Have a care, human!", Firewing threatened. "Treat your betters with proper respect!"

Before Helios could reply, Quantum took matters into her own hands. An exceptionally powerful pulse of light was emitted from her hands. It cut into the side of the Claw's ship like a hot knife through butter. In short work, the protective hull had been breached!

"Incredible...", Firewing muttered to himself. For one of the few times in his life, Firewing was impressed. "Someday female, we must duel! Truly, you are a most worthy opponent for Firewing!"

"But not today." Quantum pointed to the opening as a flood of black shadowy creatures emerged from the ship.

"Shadow Demons!", the Enchantress cried out in alarm. "They are extremely vulnerable to light!" To reinforce the Enchantress' statement, Quantum unleashed a burst of light energy that totally decimated several dozen of the creatures.

"Vulnerable to light, huh?", Pulsar repeated with a wide grin. "Naturally, they would be vulnerable to the power of the greatest supervillain ever!!" Pulsar ran towards the dome and started blasting away at the demonic invaders with glee. "That'll teach you uglies to invade my world!"

Other light wielders among the supers quickly join him: Quasar, and Spectrum. "Hey, it's the charge of the light brigade!", Spectrum quipped.

The Enchantress joined them, having cast a spell to strengthen her eldritch bolts. Confronted by such a force, the shadow demons never had a chance.

"We must press onward and close the gateway," Quantum informed the others. "Even now, our friends are being overrun by these foul creatures! Follow me!" Quantum surged forward and entered the ship, blazing a path through the dark invaders. No matter how many were destroyed, innumerable reinforcements kept on coming.

Blade took charge of the situation. "Light projectors to the front! Clear a path for the rest of us!"

Before the assembled superbeings could act, a handsome man of Greek ancestry appeared among them. He wore a multi-colored costume with strange arcane patterns on it. A large cloak, red with yellow trim graced his shoulders. "I bid you welcome, heroes."

"Who the hell is this clown?", Ripper roared, as he sized up the newcomer for battle.

The Enchantress quickly went to greet the stranger. "Everyone! Listen to me! He is a friend. A powerful sorcerer. No doubt he sensed the same disturbance that many of us did and came to investigate."

"Vincent Dimitrios at your service," the newcomer announced with a flourish and a bow. "A pleasure to see you as always, Enchantress." He accepted the Enchantress' hand and kissed it, all the while looking into the eyes of the lovely Avenger.

"Always the charmer, Vincent."

"But of course, my dear. We are graced with your presence."

Solitaire stepped forward, eyeing up the sorcerer. "I have heard some impressive stories about Vincent Dimitrios. Widget and I are pleased to finally meet you." The glowing gem hovered between the Champions sorceress and Vincent, as if it was checking him out. Widget seemed to give its approval and returned to its normal position near Solitaire's right shoulder.

Vincent turned towards Solitaire and greeted her as he had the Enchantress. "The honor is mine, fair lady. And do pass on my greetings to your charming companion as well."

"Oh, I will," Solitaire answered, trying to suppress a school girl-like giggle. Never had she encountered such a debonair man in her short life.

Blade interrupted the mages' conversation. "If you don't mind, there is a war going on here. If you're here to help, Vince, then help. Otherwise, get out of our way."

"Direct and to the point, aye Blade?", Spectrum observed, seemingly unaware of his dreadful pun.

"I am here to help you stop this invasion of creatures from the lower planes." As he spoke, Vincent began spell casting. "My magic will make your task all that much easier." Those assembled here exchanged puzzled glances. Upon completing his spell, a reddish aura surrounded everyone present.

"What did you do to me, you creep!?", Pulsar yelled, pointing an accusing finger.

"Worry not, my friend," Vincent explained, holding his hand up. "A simple enchantment that will allow you to fight these creatures. Trust me when I say that you will need it."

Blade seemed to take the newcomer at his word. Having been around the world several times in his long life, Blade had heard whispers of a Vincent Dimitrios and the power that he possessed. He reputedly was a strong force for good. Others said that he was the chosen successor for the Arch-Mage of this dimension. "As I was saying, light projectors to the front. Clear a path for us!"

"Gotcha, Blade!" Spectrum banked and followed Quantum inside the ship with Pulsar, Quasar, and the Enchantress on his heels.

"Everyone else, form up behind me!" Drawing his own sword, Blade ran after the light wielders. Dreadnought, Satara, Density, Bryn, Jo-Tan, Firewing, Ripper, and many others chased after Blade.

"Don't worry, my love!", Foxbat boasted to Morning Star. "I'll protect you!"

"How reassuring," the heroine answered as she joined the others.

"I don't know about you, but I don't think this is such a good idea," the Empress whispered to Shockwave.

"For once, I know what you mean," Shockwave answered in agreement. "But we can't have these things overrunning our planet, can we?"

"When you put it that way..." The Empress took to the air, Shockwave following on her rocket skates.

"Can't argue with that." Victrix joined the heroines, slowly followed by several other reluctant superbeings.

Entering the hanger area, the heroes found more Shadow Demons awaiting them. The light projectors cut a path through the hordes, uncovering many villains who only moments earlier had been fighting for their very lives. Quantum's light blasts cleared entire hallways. Desperately, the Shadow Demons tried to flee from her intense light with little success. Hundreds of the dark creatures were banished from Earth through Quantum's efforts.

Quantum paid little heed to Blade's directions. She already knew what she must do. Flying deeper into the base, the heroine reached one of the elevators, its doors having been forced open previously. A pulse of light cleared most of the shaft of Shadow Demons. Not pausing, Quantum dove into the shaft.

Behind her, those who could fly tried to keep pace. In spite of Quantum's impressive efforts, there were still thousands of the Shadow Demons to be fought. Spectrum, Nebula, and Quasar trailed after Quantum, blasting the demons as they went.

"There are no end to their numbers!", Quasar shouted as he unleashed another photonic blast. In all the years he had served Firewing while he was the Champion of the Great Arena, the young hero had never seen anything like this.

"No kidding!", Nebula answered as she unleashed her cosmic powers.

Morning Star ran after the trio of heroes, having managed to ditch Foxbat in the confusion. Her normally purple power punch was now an odd shade of crimson. She smashed another Shadow Demon into oblivion. "I'm right behind you!", she shouted to her companions.

Spectrum reached the elevator shaft first and landed. Quasar, Nebula, and Morning Star joined him a moment later. Looking down, they could see Quantum's glowing form illuminating the shaft several levels below them.

Morning Star took a tentative look-see, and then backed away uneasily. "It figures. It was bad enough that I had to fly here thanks to the Enchantress' magic, but now we've got to go down an elevator shaft."

"I don't know if I would call that flying, 'Star," Spectrum joked. "One usually needs to be more than a few feet off the ground to be considered flying."

"I don't like heights, okay?", Morning Star answered tersely. The heroine suffered from acrophobia ever since her plunge off the top of the Empire State Building.

Spectrum moved next to the heroine, and placed his arm under her shoulders. Morning Star had never consented to be him carrying her in the past, but this was a unique situation. "I know, but we don't have much of a choice at the moment. Just close your eyes and hang on!"

"Spectrummm!!", Morning Star screamed as Spectrum lifted her into the air and the pair flew down the elevator shaft. Fear gripped the heroine as she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her fellow X-Factor member.

"I don't mind being held, 'Star, but geez, go easy on the ribs!"

Shaking their heads, Quasar and Nebula followed the pair down the shaft. Unnoticed by the pair, Vincent Dimitrios trailed behind them.

Back in the Hanger Area, the slower moving heroes mopped up the Shadow Demons that had been bypassed by Quantum and the others. Blade slew many with his impressive swordsmanship. The battle was little more than target practice. His wife, Bryn, smashed the creatures with her fists, while his daughter, Satara, cleaved them with her war axe.

"Peregrine, Victrix, Goshawk, Warlock, Maverick, Density, Foxbat, Maelstrom, Panda, Raccoon, and Marie," Blade called out. "Stay behind and help the injured get to safety. Also make sure that none of these creatures gets past you."

"Hey!", Foxbat cried out in protest. "I belong at the side of my beloved! Say--? Where did she go?" The loony criminal's complaints went unheeded as he vainly searched for Morning Star.

Blade tried to keep his force organized, but many refused to cooperate. Firewing, Pulsar, and Ripper all struck out on their own, destroying Shadow Demons as they went with great delight. Splitting into two groups, the remaining heroes continued to advance deeper into the Claw's ship.

Following Blade's orders, Maverick, Density, and Maelstrom moved to secure the entrance Quantum had made. They would make sure that none of the Shadow Demons would get past them and out into the unsuspecting world.

The others began to drag the wounded out of the ship. Numerous villains were found, including Oculon, the Remover, the Leaper, Fire-n-Ice, Armadillo and many others. As the heroes worked, Dimension Man and Sidewinder appeared, literally from out of nowhere. Both had used their powers of teleportation to move about the ship and escape the demonic horde. Sabre joined them not long after with Crusader, Jaguar, and Mind Titan.

Pulsar wandered the ship at random. Never had he felt so powerful before. His enemies were dropping like flies before his light/heat blasts. It was an incredible rush. It was the way he always thought it should have been.

"That's right, you ugly suckers-- DIE!! Nothing can stop Pulsar! Nothing!" Blast after blast filled the corridors, destroying or driving the invading demons away. "Top of the world, ma! Top of the World!"

As he jogged along, Pulsar came across Howler and Freon, both of whom were vainly trying to drive off their foes. Howler's frantic sonic screams filled the air, doing more damage to Freon and Pulsar than to the demons. Several blasts from Pulsar cleared the immediate area.

"Ha!", Pulsar said as he turned to the villains he had just rescued. "Your powers are nothing compared to mine! Since I've just saved your lives, you both can work for me and learn how to be a real criminal mastermind!"

Both Howler and Freon exchanged glances and looked at Pulsar with a 'you've got to be kidding' look. But before either could express their opinions, Pulsar continued speaking. "Freon, you'd make a cool side kick! Cool! Don'tcha get it?"

"You are a real jerk!", Freon answered in frustration. Being mauled by Shadow Demons was looking better and better when compared to being around this egomaniac.

"And you, my lovely," Pulsar continued, turning his gaze to Howler. "I can think of all kinds of ways you can show your appreciation to me. Oh yeah... Bump and grind." As if to punctuate just how uncouth he was, small traces of drool began to form at the corners of Pulsar's mouth.

"Why you disgusting pig!", Howler yelled in rage. The thought of being with this-- this man-- made her skin crawl. Summoning up a sonic yell, the villainess unleashed her scream right into Pulsar's face!

Pulsar had never considered the lovely sonic-wielder would react so violently to his 'charms', and was completely unprepared for the onslaught. The sonic scream threw him back, bouncing him off the wall before he finally slid to the floor. His ears continued ringing long after the scream had died down.

Howler spun arrogantly, drawing her cloak about her body. She took a few steps and then rose into the air, flying down the corridor in the direction that Pulsar had come from. "This must be the way out," she silently reasoned.

Freon followed a moment later on an ice slide. "Hey, Howler, wait for me!"

Down in the bottom of the ship, Imperial, Blizzard, American Eagle and the Marksman appeared out of thin air. Gently, Imperial sat the unconscious American Eagle at their feet.

"Why'd you have to bring us back here?", Blizzard questioned in an alarmed tone as he scanned the vast chamber. The quartet were in the room where they had first entered the Claw's ship via the Sorceress' Shadow Cloak. At least the force of creatures that had attacked them was now gone. (Editor's Note: Back in Avengers #17)

"Because, popsicle, I need to know where I'm teleporting to. Unless you wanted to end up in a bulkhead, then shut yer yap!" Imperial was getting annoyed at everyone questioning his tactics. That never happened in the Capital Patrol. Well, at least not this often.

"We are not safe," the Marksman observed. He was another member of the Protectors, and in fact, secretly it's major financial contributor. Dressed in his green and silver archer-inspired costume, he fought crime with his specialized crossbow. "Already we have more of these things clawing at the elevator doors." Marksman pointed to one of the two elevator entrances in this room.

The others could only silently agree. However, the other elevator doors had been smashed open and the remains of a ruined car could been seen inside.

"It wasn't like this when we left!" Curious, Imperial flew to investigate. The unconscious bodies of Stinger, Death Commando, and Void lay twisted among the wreckage. "Ha! Someone sure cleaned their clocks."

"And it looks like we're next!" Blizzard pointed to the doors of the other elevator where more Shadow Demons were starting to break through.

Elsewhere, Firewing blazed a path through the ship. In short order, he reached his destination; the Arrival Area where the annoyingly cheerful receptionist was usually stationed. Ripper followed the alien gladiator, but at a much slower pace. He enjoyed smashing the Shadow Demons too much to let the opportunity go to waste.

Firewing flew into the Arrival Area, clearing a path through the demons. After a moment, he spotted his target; the blonde receptionist. Landing near her, Firewing grabbed the woman by the neck. "Tell me where your master is! I will slay him for this indignity!"

"You are too late, alien!", the receptionist screamed in response. As she spoke, her human features melted away. Her lovely skin took on a hideous scaly appearance with a deep red tone. Long, twisting horns emerged from her head. "The human race shall service us!" With a shove, far more powerful than he ever expected, the receptionist pushed Firewing away from her.

Firewing screamed in anger and unleashed a blast of fire. The receptionist was completely engulfed in the inferno. She screamed in pain as the fire, aided by Vincent Dimitrios' spell destroyed her material form. In seconds, the receptionist was no more.

"Hey!!", Ripper yelled as he stormed into the room. "I was gonna rip that annoyin' broad's head off! Ya keep gettin' in my way, ya flamin' freak!"

"I have had enough of your insults, monster!" Firewing struck once more, knocking Ripper back a few steps. Incredibly, the large Ripper fought his way through the fire.

"If that's the best you can do, then you're a bigger wimp than I though you were!" Ripper swung and struck Firewing in the chest, sending the gladiator flying back into the bulkhead. "Come on, little man! Bring it on!" Firewing rose to his feet, gritted his teeth, and launched into another attack.

"There are teammates ahead of us!", Solitaire reported. In her mind's eye, she could sense the presence of other human minds.

Helios fired another burst of crimson fire that sent Shadow Demons scattering. The Enchantress added her own eldritch bolts to Helios' task, while Shockwave and Dreadnought cleared a path with their fists.

"Yes-- I'm starting to get something," Shockwave reported. "Definitely life signs ahead."

"Then let's make a path, Shocky!" The mighty Dreadnought wound up and smashed a metal fist into the dark forms all about him. Like living water, the darkness began to recede, pushed back further by more attacks from Helios, the Enchantress, and Solitaire.

"I can see them!"

As Helios moved closer, a blast of light ahead of him cleared the corridor even more. Stumbling forward, Lightburst came into view. "So many...", the Avenger mumbled. "All over..."

"Lightbulb!", Dreadnought cried out. Reaching out, TK helped the shaky Lightburst remain on his feet.

Centurion and Defender staggered out next. "This is just plain impossible!", the leader of the Champions said to no one in particular. His armor was scratched and scored, but the man inside was relatively uninjured. "How is it that you are able to harm these creatures when we could not? Why are you glowing red?"

Solitaire went to assist her fellow Champion. "All in good time, Defender. Let's get you out of here."

"There are others with us," Centurion reported wearily. Like Defender, his armor was strong enough to basically protect him from harm. But he had nearly depleted his power reserves in trying to fight the dark invaders.

"We will find them," the Enchantress answered in a reassuring tone. "Just continue heading back toward the direction we came from and you'll be safe."

Shockwave moved ahead of the group, using her armor's sensors to find still more people. To her horror and disgust, she found Firestar, Silver Arrow, and the Texas Ranger all laying unconscious on the floor. Unable to defend themselves, each had suffered heavy damage from the Shadow Demons. "Ohmigod! These people need medical attention immediately!"

"Drive those things away from them!", Dreadnought yelled as he moved forward. "I'll do what I can to help 'em out. Just gimme some room!"

Helios surged forward sending blasts of crimson fire down the hallway, slaying more of the Shadow Demons. The Enchantress and Solitaire assisted in driving away the dark creatures, giving TK the needed room to bind wounds and staunch bleeding.

"Small Fry will be all right, but we've got ta get the others to a doctor n' quick," TK reported. "I've done all I can for 'em here."

"Take them back to the others," the Enchantress ordered. "Helios and I will continue onward." Without waiting for a response, the Enchantress flew off down the corridor. Helios followed a moment later.

"Now wait just a damn minute--!", Centurion started to argue, but Defender placed his hand on his shoulder.

"She's right. Our powers have proven ineffective against this foe and the injured need to be treated."

Centurion grudgingly agreed. Gently picking up the wounded, the heroes retraced their path to the Hanger Area of the ship.

In another hallway, deeper inside the ship, another group of heroes warily eyed their elevator door. Since forcibly shut by Black Diamond, the hordes of Shadow Demons were clawing their way back in. All that Diamond, Supreme, Aftershock, Brainstorm, Warhawk, and Starburst could do was watch. Starburst's powers were fatal to the strange creatures, but how long could they last in another deluge?

Then all at once there was a strange muffled screech from behind the door and the clawing stopped. Several moments passed and still nothing. The heroes all exchanged puzzled glances.

"You think they're gone?" Supreme wondered aloud.

"It's gotta be a trick," Warhawk offered.

"Wait!" Brainstorm moved towards the door, his hands on his temples. "I'm sensing other heroes... We're being rescued!"

Tentatively, Black Diamond moved towards the elevator. Still hearing nothing and her own sixth sense not alarming her of impending danger, Daimond grasped the door panels and forced them apart.

It was all true. The shaft was empty of Shadow Demons. The heroine caught a glimpse of Nebula as she flew past, following Quantum, Quasar, Spectrum, and Morning Star into the lower levels of the ship.

"The other assault forces are inside the Dome!", Diamond reported to her companions. "The way is clear!" The Avenger's leader was getting ready to fly after Nebula and the others when a new figure paused before their open doorway.

"Ah! You must be the one and only, Black Diamond," the man said in a gallant tone. "Tales of your deeds have even reached my distant ears. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Annoyed, Supreme moved up along side Black Diamond. "Who the hell are you?" The stranger sounded like he was trying to hit on Diamond.

"I am your humble servant, Vincent Dimitrios," the man floating in the elevator shaft answered with a flourish.

"Never heard of ya," Supreme answered curtly.

Ignoring Supreme's tone, Black Diamond spoke directly to Vincent. "What is going on here? Where were you headed?"

"It is a long story, fair lady. In the meantime, I strongly suggest that you and your companions make your way up to the top of this shaft and seek shelter amongst the others."

"I'm coming with you," was Diamond's answer. "Everyone else get out of here before more of those creatures turn up."

"I'm afraid that I cannot permit you to do that," Vincent replied. "You are not protected against the foes that we will be facing and I have not the energy to spare at this moment. Please trust me when I say that you should depart and quickly."

Black Diamond was prepared to rebuke this stranger when she noticed his piercing eyes. Something about them melted away her resolve. Finally, she turned to her companions. "You heard the man, let's get out of here!" Picking up Supreme, the heroine flew up the elevator shaft, closely followed by the others. Vincent watched their departure, before continuing onward.

Captain Lightning was so engrossed in his work that he failed to notice the Sorceress swirl into existence close by. "I am pleased to see that you are unharmed," Tanya stated as she approached.

"Tanya! How did you--??" Realizing the nature of his teammate's powers, Cap turned back to the control panel he had been experimenting with. "Never mind. We've got big problems to deal with."

Tanya glanced out the observation windows and found them to be completely obscured by a sea of Shadow Demons.

"Thankfully, this chamber has been heavily reinforced," Lightning continued. "I suspect this to be something akin to a Combat Simulator, only on a much larger scale and far more sophisticated."

"I am painfully aware of the situation, Captain. My comrades and I have managed to rescue many prisoners. They are currently within the folds of my Shadow Cloak. I came to offer my assistance in helping you escape the demonic horde."

Captain Lightning looked up from his work and at Tanya for a moment. "I appreciate the concern, Tanya, but I'll be all right. I doubt they could hurt me in my energy form. If I could find some weapon in this Arena that could affect these things, we might have a chance."

Curious, Tanya moved beside her teammate, eyeing the control panel over his shoulder. "You claim that this is like our Battle Trainer back at the Ranch?"

"Yes. Only more versatile and powerful. So far everything I've tried has been ineffective against these-- whatever the hell they are."

"The Shadow Demons are vulnerable to light."

Cap looked at Tanya again. "You mean it's that simple? Creatures of darkness being vulnerable to light?"

Tanya smiled in response. "Things are not always as complicated as they may seem to be."

"Light... light..." The Captain played with the controls for a few moments. "There. I think this will be quite an eye opener for our little friends."

Down inside the Arena, a multitude of hidden panels snapped open and futuristic-looking blasters emerged. Firing in sequence, the blasters emitted pulses of intense light in a spread pattern.

The effect on the Shadow Demons was immediate. The unearthly creatures screamed in pain as fully one-fifth of their numbers were destroyed in the first volley.

"It's working!", Captain Lightning shouted enthusiastically. He rose to look out the observation windows. Already they were half cleared of Shadow Demons. "They're being destroyed!"

Impressed, Tanya touched Lightning's arm. "Well done, Captain. Well done!"

Suddenly, a tremendous burst of light filled the Arena, forcing Captain Lightning and the Sorceress to shield their eyes. After the brightness faded, they could see the floor of the Arena once more. Shadow Demons still remained, but they now numbered in the dozens as opposed to the thousands.

Quantum flew in from one of the entrances, her body aglow. With one powerful attack, she managed to slay 90% of the remaining Shadow Demons within the Arena.

Captain Lightning smiled and said to Tanya, "Looks like the cavalry has arrived. This ought to be good."

Quantum's attack had unburied the occupants of the Arena. The living gateway that was Borealis was now in full view to everyone. Upon seeing it, Quantum moved closer and surrounded the gate with a spherical-shaped force field. Shadow Demons continued to emerge from Borealis, but now they were trapped inside the light-based force field. The inside of the sphere quickly began to fill up, but those demons that touched the walls were destroyed.

"To my side, Menton!", Dr. Destroyer commanded. The master villain's cape was now naught but shreds. His armor easily protected him from the demons, but even his impressive arsenal was ineffective.

Likewise, Menton's awesome psionics were unable to harm the invaders. Like the Emerald Eyes themselves, they eluded his telekinetic abilities. Only by phasing himself out of reality was Menton able to avoid injury. "At once, Master!"

"Die vile creatures!" The Black Paladin continued to fight on, refusing to accept defeat. His mystical armor hedged out the demons, while his mace smote the creatures down. Backed by the power of one of the Lesser Emerald Eyes, the Black Paladin was a considerable force to be reckoned with.

Sunburst held his own as well. His power to project a combination of light and heat were fatal to the invaders. But like the Black Paladin, there were simply far too many demons for one man to defeat.

Halfjack lay on the floor, unmoving. His human side was unable to withstand the demon's assault. With an odd fascination, his robotic side observed the slow, torturous death of its human half. His partner in this debacle, Lord Dire, was huddled in a fetal position on the floor, shaking uncontrollably; the horror of the demonic invasion having broken his already tenuous hold on sanity.

The tide of battle rapidly turned with Quantum's arrival. Most of the Shadow Demons had been destroyed, and her spherical force field prevented any new arrivals.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Black Paladin fought his way to the side of Lady Bale. Mercifully, she was unconscious before the horde had arrived. The monsters had ravaged her body. The sorceress' lovely features were all but gone. Her bones were plainly visible in several places. "There will be a severe retribution for this!", the Black Paladin hissed upon seeing her body.

Remembering the Lesser Eye now in his possession, the dark knight bent down beside his dying companion. He concentrated and emerald tendrils of energy slowly moved from the Emerald Eye and into the Morbane's body. The power of the Eye healed Lady Bale, regenerating skin and sealing wounds. In seconds the damage done to her was undone. She moaned softly and slowly opened her eyes. "Milord-- you saved me. I am yours to command." An undying love filled her eyes.

"I know," Paladin answered. He took Lady Bale's hand and helped her to her feet. "There is nothing left to gain here. We must now take our leave." With that, the dark knight and his lady departed.

Elsewhere in the room, the architect of this disaster, the Crimson Claw moved towards the Borealis Gateway. Annoyingly, Quantum hovered several dozen feet over his head. "NOO!!!! My plans will not be defeated! I will not permit this! Your world must fall!"

"In your dreams, ugly!" Turning, the Claw could see several costumed heroes fly into the vast chamber. Spectrum sat down a relieved Morning Star and continued onward. He caught the Claw with a blast of light, sending the demon back a few steps. Nebula and Quasar flew in after Spectrum, firing more light blasts at the Crimson Claw. "The Crimson Claw is going to be a red lobster by the time we're done with him!"

Circling back around, Spectrum flew up beside Quantum. "Looks like you've got your finger in the dike there, Quantum." He could see perspiration forming on her brow.

"...Don't know how long I can keep this up... Powers fading... The strain..."

"Oh great..." Spectrum accelerated back to the other heroes and reported what he had learned. "We need to shut this thing down now! Somehow...." Nebula and Quasar had no answers either.

"That would be my task." Turning, the trio could see Vincent Dimitrios soar into the room. "I shall cast the necessary spells to put an end to this madness. You three must protect me from harm, ere my spell will fail."

After exchanging quick glances, the three heroes got the picture. "Sure thing, Vince. We'll watch your back." The three took up positions around the archmage and began to clear away the demons as Vincent began to cast his spell.

Morning Star advanced on the Crimson Claw. The three light blasts, coupled with wounds he received from Muskateer earlier, had weakened him greatly. "So you're the creep behind this nightmare? You're going to pay for all the evil you've done!"

The reddish/purple glow still surrounding her fists, Morning Star struck the Claw hard. The demon was hurtled back over two dozen feet. "You insects can't hope to stop me! Your world will surely fall!"

Closing the distance, the heroine was prepared to strike again, when the surprisingly fast Claw slashed her torso. In shock, Morning Star could see blood begin to flow from her wounds.

"You cannot defeat me, human!", the Claw taunted. "My kind have always been your superiors! We ruled this world before your race even existed! We shall do so again!" A backhanded slap sent the heroine flying away. Morning Star hit the deck hard and rolled over on her back. As she tried to stand, the Claw was already over her, preparing to strike again. "And now you shall die!!"

Morning Star moved to block the attack, but it never came. Looking up, to her immense surprise, she saw Dr. Destroyer holding the Claw's arm back. "I don't believe it!"

"This--- creature-- is a menace to the entire planet, and therefore must be destroyed." The two titans grappled with each other for several seconds, giving Morning Star time to rise once more.

The Claw pivoted and swung his free arm at Destroyer's head. "You will all die painful and horrible deaths!"

"That is for me to decide, alien," Destroyer answered as he avoided the clumsy strike.

Before the Crimson Claw could try again, Morning Star was on her feet and grabbed a hold of his free arm. "If someone had told me that I would be helping Dr. Destroyer decide the fate of humanity, I would have told them they were nuts."

The Claw struggled, but between the two was unable to free himself. "Fate has made us temporary allies, for we share a similar goal," was Destroyer's comment. "Now let us destroy this parasite!"

Observing this from a distance, Spectrum shouted, "If I may make a suggestion--?"

Turning, Morning Star and Dr. Destroyer could see that Vincent's spell was at its peak. A crimson glow surrounded Quantum's force field. Already those imprisoned in the field were beginning to vanish.

"I'm not sure what Vinny is doing, but I'd say that it's about to happen soon!", Spectrum added. The sight of the severe wounds inflicted on Morning Star by the claw gave Spectrum a reason to pause. He had seen Morning Star survive things that would have killed most people and come out with barely a scratch. The sight of her bleeding was something that shook him deeply.

"Shall we?", Morning Star asked of her 'partner'.

"By all means."

The two forced the Claw forward and then both flung him back with all their might. The Demon soared through the air, twisting and turning towards the force field containing Borealis, cursing the whole way. "You will all pay for this umbrage! We are not so easily defeated! Our day will one day come!!"

The Claw hit the force field and was enveloped by the spell. After a beat, Quantum's force field winked out of existence, taking Borealis, the Crimson Claw, and all the Shadow Demons contained inside with it.

Quantum's power levels collapsed and the heroine fell to the Arena floor. Weakly, she rose to a sitting position. "It's over," she said in a faint voice.

"Almost, my dear," Vincent Dimitrios added. "Almost."

Continuing on inside the ship, Helios and the Enchantress came across Blade's group. With the Blood hero were Bryn, Satara, Jo-Tan, Renegade, and the Empress. The two groups quickly compared notes near an open elevator shaft.

"This level has been cleared and the enemy no longer grows in numbers," Blade reported. "Black Diamond's team passed us on the way out of the dome. It appears that we are winning the war."

"The gate has been closed," the Enchantress added. "I can no longer sense the malevolence which emanated from the portal."

"Hurray for the good guys!", the Empress commented. "Let's finish off these munchkins and go home."

"Aye, there will be plenty of wounded who will need to be tended to," Bryn mentioned. "My place will be there."

"Agreed. Helios, Empress, and the Enchantress will continue on. Destroy the invaders and rescue those who have been trapped or overwhelmed. The rest of us non-flyers will head back to lend aid to the wounded."

"Let's kick some demon butt!" Helios dove into the elevator shaft, closely followed by Empress and the Enchantress. There were still Shadow Demons near the bottom of the shaft. Energy blasts from the trio quickly destroyed the invaders.

As they neared the bottom, the sounds of energy discharges attracted their attention. "There must be trapped heroes down there!", Helios reasoned as he surged forward, burning a path through the Shadow Demons. A wrecked elevator car was at the bottom of the shaft. Helios burned through it with scarcely a thought.

Beyond the ruined car was a large chamber holding several villains and heroes locked in combat with the Shadow Demons. Imperial hung near the ceiling, holding American Eagle, Blizzard, and the Marksman in his arms. Below them, hundreds of Shadow Demons nipped at their heels. Stinger and Death Commando, of the villainous Destroyers, were on hand as well. The insect-like Stinger was clinging to the ceiling, while Death Commander fought on the metal walkway, his armor protecting him so far. Void had departed the scene as soon as he regained consciousness, leaving those behind to their fate.

"Let's rock this party!" Helios summoned up his most powerful blast of fire and let it fly. It destroyed any Shadow Demon it touched, but also slammed hard into the equipment in the Engine Room.

"Be careful, you hothead!", Imperial shouted. "There's dangerous equipment down here!"

The Empress sailed in, followed by the Enchantress. "Die you little ugly freaks!" More demons fell before the blast of elemental fire the Empress had thrown.

"Not quite the way I would have put it," the Enchantress commented, adding her own eldritch bolts to the battle, "but nonetheless, I share the sentiment!"

"That's gratitude for you," Helios yelled back. "I save your fannies and this is the thanks I get."

As if to punctuate Imperial's warning, a minor explosion rocked the room. Another soon followed. The machinery in the room hissed and more explosions seemed imminent.

"I told you to be careful, you moron!", Imperial cried out. "Now the whole damn place is going to go up!"

"You may have a point there," Helios answered sheepishly. "All right, everybody out of the pool!"

"Follow the Elevator shaft to the surface!", the Enchantress instructed. "It will take you out of here."

"You don't have to tell me twice, gorgeous." Imperial flew forward and up the shaft with his passengers. Stinger and Death Commando followed them without question. Helios joined them after a moment.

"Hey, you coming?", the Empress asked of the Enchantress.

"I must locate my teammates first!" The Enchantress turned and flew across the chamber and up the other elevator shaft. Muskateer was nearby, Gwen could somehow feel it. She had thought he would be in the chamber with Imperial, but unfortunately was wrong. She had to find him. Had to make sure he was okay.

The Empress watched her fly out of sight. "Whatever trips yer trigger, Red." Turning, the X-Factor member followed the others to the surface.

In the Observation chamber of the Arena, the control panels were lit up like Christmas trees. Numerous alarms and buzzers were in action. An explosion rocked the ship, far more powerful than the previous ones. "This is not good," Captain Lightning muttered. "We're experiencing a massive system overload. I'd say we have only a matter of minutes before this place goes up and takes everything with it!"

"Then we had best depart the premises, Captain. Join the others in my Shadow Cloak and I will see you all to safety." Captain Lightning started to object, but Tanya would have none of that. "There is little time to argue. Please just comply with my wishes."

With a sigh, Captain Lightning passed through the Shadow Cloak and joined many others on the Shadow Plane, leaving the Sorceress alone in the chamber. As the mage prepared to enter the cloak herself, she felt something. A faint cry for help. Concentrating, the lovely sorceress realized that she was being contacted by Gwen, who desperately needed Tanya's help.

"I am on my way," Tanya said to no one. Gathering the Shadow Cloak about her, the Sorceress joined the others on the Shadow Plane.

On the surface, Blade continued to oversee the evacuation. Those injured were moved further away from the ship while still more superbeings escaped from the dome. The explosions were growing more powerful in strength and were happening more closely together now. The destruction of the Claw's ship was going to be spectacular. The Blood Warrior just hoped that no one would be caught in it.

Off in the distance, Bryn had set up an impromptu triage area, assisted by those who possessed varying degrees of medical knowledge. There had been no fatalities as of yet, but there were too many superbeings in critical condition for one physician to handle.

Back in the Arena, the explosions caught everyone off guard. Menton was beside Dr. Destroyer in a flash. "Take us away, my servant." Concentrating, Menton teleported the two to safety.

"Now that's the Dr. Destroyer I know," Morning Star commented to no one in particular. "He cuts out and leaves us in a pickle."

"As the one sheep herder said to the other sheep herder, let's get the flock out of here!", Spectrum suggested as he flew towards Morning Star. He hoped that he would last long enough to get himself and Morning Star safely to the surface.

"Indeed. A swift egress appears to be the most prudent course of action." Vincent Dimitrios cast another spell and, upon its completion, everyone in the Arena vanished.

Another explosion rocked the base as the Enchantress flew up the damaged elevator's tube. She could tell she wasn't far from Muskateer now. Some instinct told her that he needed her desperately.

Proceeding to the next level above the Engine Room, the Enchantress flew past the shredded elevator doors. Everything on this level appeared to be damaged. A noxious haze hung menacingly in the air. Sparks shot out of twisted computer equipment in showers and spurts all around. Smashed machinery hummed and hissed.

Gwen landed and looked around. "Muskateer?! Where are you, Steven?" Her senses told her that Muskateer was close by, but evil pervaded the area, shrouding the signal as much as the haze diminished her normal sight. A few shadow demons were here and there. They were quickly dispelled thanks to her eldritch blasts. Rounding a pile of debris, Gwen was unprepared for the sight that greeted her eyes.

Muskateer lay twisted and sprawled on the ground. His armored costume was in shredded tatters. His sword lay a few inches from his outstretched hand. From here she couldn't tell if we was breathing or not. Her hands went to her mouth at the sight. She tried to say something, but the sound died in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat. There was so much blood everywhere.

As the Enchantress rushed closer, she was aware of the fallen Scarlet Sabre and Ace who laid some distance away. They each appeared quite injured themselves. Reaching Muskateer, she kneeled next to him and prepared herself for the worst.

Pulling his injured body close to her chest, her heart leaped when she saw that he was still breathing, labored though it was. She cradled his head in her arms as a silent message was sent out mystically. "Tanya!" The Enchantress had previously established a link with the Sorceress that made it easy for them to communicate over short distances should the need arise. They didn't use it often now that each had graduated from the Circle, but the bond remained. "I have found three seriously injured heroes. We need immediate assistance."

Tears streamed down her face as Gwen carefully pulled the damaged mask from her love's face. His eyes flickered open slowly, as in the back of her mind, the message "I am on my way," had been returned by the Sorceress.

"Gwen...?" The sound was so faint, that she almost didn't hear it. Another explosion rocked the ship, but the Enchantress was barely aware of it.

"Do not try to speak, Steven." She was elated that he was still alive despite his injuries, while at the same time horrified that he could have sustained such a merciless beating. "Help is on the way." Gwen felt extremely frustrated that she was unable to do anything to help him or the others. In spite of the impressive things she could do with her magic, the power to heal was not among them. In essence, she was utterly helpless.

"Killed 'm all...", Muskateer rasped.

"Please, save your strength." She stroked his hair and tried to concentrate on his face as she spoke to him. Muskateer's body was a bloody mess. She couldn't bring herself to look without a shudder coursing throughout her being. The tears continued to run down her cheeks.

"Kept comin'... thanks t' you... wouldn't a' made it..." He was rambling, she thought, unsure what he was trying to say. She tried to hush him, worried that he would use up what little strength remained, but he continued to mumble in an almost breathless whisper. "Almost killed Claw... so close... girls... hurt bad..."

"Help is coming for them," Gwen answered, "and for you."

"'ll live..." He reached up shakily and grabbed her hand with his. Gwen was surprised that the grip was much stronger than she would have imagined considering his present state. She pulled him close again trying to give what comfort she could.

A moment later, Tanya arrived in a swirl of dark blue. Right behind her was Tritium. The Sorceress went to her friend's side. "I am here, Gwen. Everything is going to be all right. Tritium is a doctor."

In a flash of energy, Vincent Dimitrios arrived out in the valley bringing Spectrum, Morning Star, Quantum, Nebula, Sunburst, Halfjack, and Lord Dire with him. Those who could quickly moved further away from the rumbling dome, helping the wounded to safety as they passed.

"Let me give you a hand, 'Star," Spectrum said as he went to help his teammate. "Those wounds look nasty." Putting his arm around his teammate, Spectrum led the way towards Bryn's triage area.

"They don't feel good either," Morning Star added in agreement. The heroine folded her arms tightly to her chest, trying to stem the flow of blood. She sighed deeply as they walked. "Thanks for the help, Spectrum."

"Hey, that's what partners are for. I just wanted to say how pleased I am that you decided to join our little endeavor. It means a lot to me."

"Like I said, someone has to look out for you rookies," Morning Star answered with a weak smile. Looking down, she could see that between the tears and the bloodstains her costume was probably beyond repair. "Looks like another costume down the drain."

Looking around, Spectrum could see that Blizzard and the Empress were off from the others cuddling. "At least the love birds made it out okay." He continued to search for the rest of his team and spotted them in short order. Both Shockwave and Sabre were assisting Bryn in her medical efforts.

The explosions continued to grow in intensity. Even Ripper and Firewing decided to flee instead of continuing with their battle. Finally, Blade couldn't wait any longer and he too ran for safety. The Blood warrior had gone only a few dozen feet when a tremendous explosion ripped through the valley, throwing Blade dozens of feet through the air. Most were thrown backwards and to the valley floor. The outcropping over the dome collapsed, dropping rock and dirt onto the Claw's Citadel.

Sparks of power and energy surrounded the dome as everyone waited for the final blast. Then the dome began to fade and flicker. A final explosion appeared imminent, but at the last second seemed to turn back upon itself. A dazzling display of sparks and smoke covered the dome, obscuring it. When the cloud faded, the dome was gone. All that remained was the impression it had left in the valley floor.

"Incredible!", Defender wondered aloud. "What happened to the ship? There should have at least been debris... I just hope everyone made it out in time."

"Perhaps some sort of safety protocol was activated?", Resonator offered. Regardless, they would probably never know what really happened to the strange dome...

Quiet came over the dozens of superbeings in the wake of the Dome's destruction. Many of the villains simply departed. Given everything that had happened in the last day, no one tried to stop them. The heroes were just too tired. Besides, many of the criminals had fought alongside the heroes to repel the Claw and his foul hordes. It was their world too, after all.

Black Diamond wandered around the wounded, making sure that teammates and friends were all right. Supreme followed closely behind her, like a second shadow. "They're not here! Ohmigod-- They didn't make it out of the dome!"

"You can't be sure of that...", Supreme answered, trying to sound reassuring but not succeeding.

Before Diamond could reply, the Sorceress swirled into reality. "Greetings, comrades. I hold many heroes and far too many wounded within my cloak."

Hearing this, Bryn rushed forward. "More wounded is not what we need. My hands are full as it is."

"What we need is to get back to the clinic as quickly as possible," Satara added. The young Blood warrior had learned the basics of medicine from her physician mother. "Or we're going to start losing people."

Black Diamond considered for a few seconds, and then turned to face the Sorceress. "Tanya, is there any limit to the number of people you can hold inside your cloak?"

"Not that I've experienced... I see what you are getting at. Sound reasoning."

Seeing the confusion on Bryn and Satara's face, Diamond explained her idea. "We move everyone inside the Shadow Cloak and then I can fly Scarlet to the nearest hospital, taking everyone with us!"

Bryn only needed a second to decide. "I like the idea, but I believe that I can improve upon it." Turning to her daughter, she added, "Go and find your brother! Bring him here immediately!"

For the next several minutes, Scarlet watched as dozens of supers walked or were carried inside her cloak. She had never carried so many beings like this before and sincerely hoped that there were truly no limits to the powers of her artifact.

Once they were all safely inside, Sabre took the Sorceress' hand and teleported away. He had teleported to his mother's clinic so many times before that it was almost second nature. One moment, the pair were there in the valley, the next they were gone.

Epilogue:

In the Scottish Highlands, Angus Burke set down his rake and rested on a rock. The danger he had felt earlier was now gone. Retrieving his rake once more, he went back to his work, thankful that he wouldn't have to reveal himself before he was ready.

The light from the Crystal formed strange patterns on its bearer's face. The alien artifact monitored the situation and its resolution. The Revered Elder's Disciple was indeed powerful. It would have to proceed with greater caution for its mission to succeed.

Both the Master and the Revered Elder were pleased. Their students had performed admirably. Both teachers beamed with pride.

In his hidden Antarctica base, Dr. Destroyer strode with purpose through its halls. Menton had retired to his chamber to recover from the ordeal. Giving the recognition code, Destroyer entered the most secured part of the base. Behind the door was an elegant chamber, filled with a great many scientific devices. The vast room was a combination of laboratory and living quarters.

At the far end of the room a man was seated at a desk, working at a keyboard. "Status report," he ordered, without turning to face Destroyer.

"The threat has been dealt with, Master. I have secured one of the Lesser Eyes."

"Only one?" The man seemed displeased. "Pity, I would have preferred both."

"Circumstances--"

"I am not interested in your excuses. Secure the Lesser Eye and report to your recharging station. I expect a complete report within the hour."

"Yes, Master." Destroyer turned and moved to one section of the large lab. A plate on his chest silently opened to reveal the Lesser Eye. Machinery and circuitry filled the area behind the Eye.

Taking the Eye out, the android Destroyer placed it in a secured container. Then he departed to his recharging station.

After the android had departed, the man rose and casually walked towards the glowing gem. "At last I have you right where I want you..."

Vincent Dimitrios' spell released its unwilling passengers. The Crimson Claw howled in rage. It had failed its masters! They would not be forgiving. He scanned the dark and twisted landscape, finding it far too familiar.

Borealis continued to be a living gateway, a human eclipse. The Shadow Demons looked around in confusion. More of their numbers emerged from the gateway, but were surprised by their surroundings. One leaped back into Borealis, only to come out on the other side.

"Damn you, human!", the Crimson Claw cursed in realization. For the spell cast by Vincent Dimitrios had transported the gateway back to the home dimension of the Claw's masters! "I will have my vengeance!!", the Claw screamed as more and more Shadow Demons arrived finding themselves back home, right where they had started.

Somewhere beyond time and space she sat watching the game conclude, rather pleased with the results. The Crimson Claw's plans had been thwarted. The demons were once more imprisoned in their twisted dimension. Borealis sought ultimate power and paid the ultimate price. He was doomed to forever remain a living gateway going nowhere. The Dimensional Ship that gave the demons this chance to escape was safely beyond their reach. For this moment, all was right in the multiverse.

She was also pleased with the performance of her agents. With a gesture, the game pieces all vanished and a new set appeared. For this was just one turn in a game that never ended. A game played on thousands upon thousands of playing boards scattered about the seemingly infinite room....

And in another place, in another time, a strange blue dome appeared...

The End..?

See Avengers #20, Muskateer #16, and X-Factor #5 for the aftermath!

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